Public Service Academies

Campus Report ^ | January 11, 2008 | Amanda Busse

[bs9021]

Public Service Academies

by: Amanda Busse, January 11, 2008

A panel debate over the need for a U.S. Public Service Academy at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) on Wednesday left some wondering whether its benefits would be worth its costs. “It’s got great potential, but it definitely needs more support from Congress, and taxpayers might have a problem with it,” said Brianne Aderly, a member of the non-profit group City Year, who came to watch the debate.

The Public Service Academy is the brainchild of Chris Meyers Asch, 33. A Teach for America veteran who co-founded the project, Asch wants to make the college a counterpart to America’s military academies by providing 5,000 undergraduate students with training in public rather than military service. Tuition for students would be free for the liberal arts degree in exchange that students serve five years where they are needed in the public sector after graduating.

Asch advocated the growing need for such an institution with baby boomers soon retiring and crises like Hurricane Katrina showing a need to improve public service leadership. As the number of college graduates entering into public service has dropped in the past 25 years, Asch believes an academy could change the way young people view a career in the public sector.

“There is a desire among young people to serve,” Asch said. “[They] don’t think the public sector is where you go to make a difference. This is a way to combat that culture.”

He calculated that the university would cost $205 million annually; roughly $40,000 per student. “Yes, it’s expensive,” Asch said, “but this is going to change this nation.”

[JeeperFreeper]

Yet another way for libs to freeload.

[Lou L]

One can only imagine the kind of indoctrination into the world of liberal Democratic politics a student would receive after a 4-5 year stint at such a school.

[Paleo Conservative]

As if there weren't a glut of people already for these positions. There are graduate programs all over the US pumping out future bureaucrats.

Military academies were established in order to train officers in the Army and Navy, and there weren't any alternative institutions already established in the US.

[keepitreal]

And Huckabee thinks it’s a great idea:

Academy ‘08
Arkansas Governor and Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee met with Academy Co-Founder Chris Myers Asch in Iowa in August. “This is a great idea!” Gov. Huckabee exclaimed. “I wish I’d thought of it.”

Huckabee is the third presidential candidate to publicly endorse the Academy, joining Democrats Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden. Both Sen. Clinton and Sen. Biden are co-sponsors of the U.S. Public Service Academy Act in the Senate.

http://www.uspublicserviceacademy.org/08/

[KarlInOhio]

As I said in a previous thread U.S. Public Service Academy = Cornell on steroids.